Flood and suspension fence



(No Model.)

' J. W. POWER.

FLOOD AND SUSPENSION FENCE.

No. 276,073. Patented Apr. 17,1883.

V Wlkeewea'. I amnion I L I ffl W Z i ZZM 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

JOHN W. POWER, OF SLATESVILLE, VIRGINIA.

FLOOD AND SUSPENSION FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,073, dated April17, 1883.

Application filed November '7, 1882.

10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. POWER, of Slatesville, in the county ofPittsylvania and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Flood and Suspension Fences; and I do hereby declare thatthe following; is a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specification.

My invention is for an improvement upon that class of fences known asflood-fences, such as are used in low places, as marshes, meadows, andbottom lands which are subject to periodical floods, and for crossingstreams of water, for hill-sides, and such like places. Oommon fencesused for these purposes are extremely liable to injury and destructionoccasioned by the swelling of streams after a storm and especially fromfloating timber or other debris thatis swept along in many cases veryrapidly and with an irresistibletorce. To avoid this calamity to fences,they have heretol'ore been so constructed and arranged as to be throwndown when struck with floating dbris, and capable of being again set upwhen the water has subsided sufficiently to enable it to be done. Suchfences are unsatisfactory for the reason of the cost and laborconsequent upon their construction and use, and for other reasons theyhave failed to operate effectually.

The object of my invention is to provide a light, simple, andeconomical, yet durable,

fence, which shall not fail to accomplish the results desired and whichis portable.

The construction and improvements of my fence are as follows:

Referring to the drawing, the figure represented is a perspective viewof a fence embodying my improvements.

B-is a beveled top bar or strip, and F represents the posts. From thisstrip are the bars 1 2 3 at suspended. These bars are secured by a wire,a, which is first doubled and put around the top strip, B, as shown ata, then the two ends crossed and a bar placed between, when one end ofthe wire is twisted around the bar one side and the other end around iton the other side, which brings an end of the wire down each side of thebar, and another bar placed in and secured in the same manner, and so onwith each bar for as many (No model.)

as are to be used. When the bottom bar is put in the ends of the wireare twisted on the bottom of it, as shown at a". The bars are secured inthis way at each of their ends, and when an entrance-way through thefence is desired the wrapping and connecting of the bars with wire ofone section of fence can be omitted and the bars placed in between theothers at each adjacent section. Thus when itis desired to make anentrance through thefence all one has to do is to slide the bars backeither side between the other bars, when they can easily be replaced.Across the bottom of the fenceposts can be nailed the strip 0.

It will be seen by this construction of fence that should water ordebris be coming down against it it will float or rise with'ease andallow it to pass through, and when it has subsided fall back again inits former position. The posts are all beveled at their tops, as shownat g, and on them is laid the top strip or bar, B, which is also beveledfor its whole length, as shown at g. This strip B, with the barsdepending therefrom by the wire, as above, is simply laid on the postswith its beveled side against the bevels on the posts, when, as can beseen, water, floating debris, or any force can strike it, and the fencewill yield and allow it to pass through. The weight of the bars keepingthe strip B right down against the posts, this fence could rise as highas the posts themselves without falling off.

It will be seen that a fence of this kind can be made so cheap as toenable it to be used in the place of more expensive fences heretoforediscarded.

What I claim is- 1. The combination of the beveled fenceposts with thecorresponding beveled top strip, having, suspended therefrom the bars,as and for the purpose set forth.

'2. In a flood-fence, the combination of a series of bars wrapped andjoined by wire, as

described, the bars depending from the top strip, said strip beingbeveled on one of its sides and resting on corresponding beveled posts,as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. POWER;

Witnesses:

J. E. DUFFY, M. P. CALLAN.

